5 reasons every PR pitch should include video

Videos grab attention and make your brand look cutting-edge and interesting. Read on for more ways they can help you land media coverage.

By Pua Sze YuenJuly 16, 2013

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Vine is an application that allows you to create and share six-second videos. It’s an awesome marketing tool for brands.

But the launch of the new video feature in Instagram is already challenging Vine’s status as the frontrunner in video marketing.

Videos—not just six-second or 15-second ones, but larger productions—can tell stories in ways words can’t. Marketers are slowly adopting videos into the marketing mix, and it isn’t any different for PR professionals.

Here are the top five reasons every PR pitch needs a video:

1. Video helps your pitch stand out from the clutter.

Always remember that you are not the only person who sends PR pitches to the media. Thousands of pitches flood reporters’ inboxes daily, and half of them look the same. Unless your story is remarkable, it will get lost in the sea of other pitches.

Be different. Include a video and stand out from the clutter. Besides, who doesn’t love a good video?

Time is of the essence. The media does not have time for every PR pitch, so make it count. Send pitches that are worth writers’ time. Bloggers and writers are always in a time crunch to deliver content. Videos are memorable, enjoyable and easier than reading.

3. Video makes your brand seem more interesting.

Video is a good way to show off your brand’s personality. If your pitch is about the launch of a new product, use short videos in your pitch to build anticipation about the launch. Entice reporters to cover your event, news or product launch. Offer a visual accompaniment to what you are saying; it will make you look more interesting.

4. Video increases engagement.

If a video is relevant and entertaining, readers are more likely to click and share it with their friends. This is where the ad dollars come in. Publications and news outlets want to increase their viewership, and the best way to do so is through digital engagement with their current readers. Include a video in your pitch that will influence publications and news outlets to cover your story and thus drive traffic to their sites.

People love visual content because it’s entertaining and informational. An entertaining and informational video can go a long way! Videos are more likely to hook readers and get them to spend more time on that publication.

5.Video is less expensive than it used to be.

Depending on what you need to shoot, you can get by with anything from a phone camera to a consumer DSLR. For more ambitious product videos, live-action comedy shoots and visual effects, you may need a creative agency and/or production company to help you develop concepts and produce the right videos.

Pua Sze Yuen is an account coordinator at Supercool Creative. A version of this article originally appeared on the Supercool Creative blog.